


The Calm Before the Storm

by shinysylver



Series: Desus Holiday Bingo 2k17 [1]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Babies, Christmas, Conversations, Episode Tag, Friendship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Holidays, M/M, Pre-Slash, War, like pre-pre slash, spoilers for the midseason finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2019-02-17 08:36:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13073175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shinysylver/pseuds/shinysylver
Summary: Things may be bad now, but life goes on.





	The Calm Before the Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Desus Holiday Bingo. I technically wrote it for the **predicament** square, but it also fits **children** well so lets throw that on there too.
> 
> This is set shortly after the season 8 midseason finale and all that entails. And as always thanks to camshaft22 for enabling me.

Paul made his way through the Barrington House to the room they'd made into a makeshift nursery. The house--all of Hilltop really--was unnaturally quiet, everyone speaking in hushed whispers. It reminded him of the moment just before a storm when all the animals fall silent and take cover. Only this time instead of rain and lightning the storm was Negan out for blood. 

It had been three days since the survivors from Alexandria and the Kingdom had converged on Hilltop and everyone had expected Negan to follow right behind, but instead he was keeping them waiting. The anticipation was almost worse than the fight would be.

The nursery was in the back of the house--as protected from the likely invasion as they could make it--and just as he'd expected, Daryl was there in the antique rocking chair holding Judith. Paul didn't think that Daryl had left the room at all since he'd arrived at Hilltop. 

Paul didn't say anything at first, instead walking over to check on Gracie. They all tried to give her attention--Maggie especially--but it was never enough. He gently rubbed her back as she slept, trying to make sure she felt some human contact, before turning to Daryl. 

"The others have been asking for you. We're trying to come up with a strategy to survive what's coming." 

Daryl shrugged. "I'm the last person you need in there. What's the point? When I fight I lose and when I don't fight I lose."

"That's quite a predicament," Paul commented. "But it's bullshit."

Daryl's head jerked up and he glared daggers at Paul. He was fairly certain that if it wasn't for Judith sleeping in Daryl's arms he'd have jumped up to loom over him, but Paul wasn't phased. Daryl's bark was much worse than his bite. 

"Rick and Michonne are barely functioning. Ezekiel is MIA and Maggie needs more back-up than Carol and I can give her. You don't like the way things are working out? Do something about it." Paul gestured at Judith. "I know you still care."

Daryl cradled Judith closer. "I don't think _you_ would want my input."

Paul knew that they were on opposite sides of the prisoner debate--hell Paul wasn't even sure that _anyone_ was on his side of the debate--but that didn't mean he thought that Daryl should stay out of the conversation. "Maybe not. But we all should have our say."

Daryl hesitated, before finally nodding his head once. "I'll think about it."

"Good enough." Paul knew that Daryl didn't like to be forced into anything. They'd all been through so much in a short period of time and if a few days taking care of the babies helped Daryl deal with it then at least that was a healthier outlet than going kamikaze on the Sanctuary. Besides, it was good that someone was taking care of Judith while Rick and Michonne were so steeped in grief. He just hoped that Daryl rejoined them soon.

Paul knew that Daryl expected him to leave now, but instead he picked Gracie up. She stirred and nuzzled her head against his chest but didn't wake. He took the other chair and began gently swaying. The chair wasn't a rocker, but it would do. "You know Thanksgiving would have been last week?"

Daryl grunted and shook his head.

"I've been keeping track," Paul continued, filling the silence and hoping to draw Daryl out of his shell. He was never a very talkative man, but Paul didn't want him sitting alone with his grief. "I don't really know why, it's not like Thanksgiving or Christmas ever meant shit to me in the group home."

Daryl glanced at him. "My Thanksgiving growing up was a microwave turkey dinner and Santa never came to the trailer park."

"We would get donated gifts, one a piece," Paul said. "Gifts for girls in one stack and gifts for boys in the other. It was all so generic." Gracie stirred again and he slowly rubbed her back in soothing circles. She was such a quiet baby, never crying. It was convenient for their safety, but Paul worried that she was too quiet. All of the children were. "We should do something for the kids, they deserve something to look forward to."

"Santa? You have the beard for it." A ghost of a smile passed over Daryl's face, before fading back to the grief he'd been wearing since he'd arrived at Hilltop. 

Paul laughed, glad that Daryl could still make a joke. "Maybe not Christmas like before, but something new. Something with food and games where they can just be kids for once."

Daryl looked down at Judith's blonde curls. "Maybe. If we survive."

"We're going to win," Paul said, with more confidence than he felt. "And then _you_ are going to help me plan Christmas or Solstice or whatever we want to call it for the kids."

"All of a sudden, losing doesn't sound so bad afterall," Daryl said dryly, but he gave Paul a real smile this time, one that actually reached his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are much appreciated.
> 
> You can find me on Tumblr at [shinysylver!](http://shinysylver.tumblr.com/)


End file.
